Oakland Raiders Lose Again, Too Many Didn't Handle Their Business vs. Texans
The Raidersย lost a hard fought game to the Houston Texansย 31-24.
Well, the game was hard fought at times.
Theย Raiders could have actually won Sundays contest had they had any consistency on Sunday. Much of the Raider inconsistency was caused by too many Raiders that left their a game in the locker room.
Turn the page to see who they are.
Tommy Kelly
1 of 11
Tommy Kelly was buried all day on Sunday.
Heย was moved on every running play the Texans ran.
He had five tackles but down the field.
Of the 241 yards the Raiders yielded, 139 of them came on three plays inside to the right. What should be troubling the Raiders is how Kelly wasย drivenย off the ball with just one man.
This allowed the center to zone step and cut rookie middle linebacker Rolando McClain off from the play.
And that was just the beginning of the run.
All that money for that?
He was no better against the pass.
Kelly had no sacks and no quarterback hits.
Lamarr Houston
2 of 11
In the preseason and training camp, I thought Houston would turn out to beย a beast. ย I am nowย starting to see why he was passed over in the first round of the this year's draft.
Houston had no sacks coming into the game and nothing has changed since. Sunday, he didn't even have aย pressure or a hit on the quarterback and had only one tackle in the game.
He was often on the opposite side of the hole as Kelly when the Texans ran right.
I thought he was supposed to be a disruptive force.
That's right.
"We talkin' about practice man."
But the rookie still has time to get it right.
Michael Huff
3 of 11
I guess that was a one game thing forย Michael Huff last week.
I gave him all kinds ofย credit for making tackles as the last line of defense last week. This week, he went back to normal as he did everything but prevent touchdowns on big plays.
He sure did show the speed to catch Arian Foster on his 79 yard touchdown run. He also showed that he couldn't do anything with him when he caught him.
He also looked afraid to make stops on other big running plays.
Mike Mitchell anyone?
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Trevor Scott
4 of 11
Trevor Scott had to be frustrated Sunday.
He is one of the Raiders best pass rushers and didn't even smell the quarterback. I definitely didn't see that coming as the Texans started back up left tackle Rashad Butler.
The Raiders as a team didn't have a sack or a quarterback hit.
They have to be ashamed.
Al Davis
5 of 11
There is no doubt that the reason the Raiders hardly ever blitz is Al Davis. John Marshall had been an agressive, blitzingย defensive coordinator his whole career.
I don't believe for one second that he came to Raider Nation andย became passive. We all saw what he's capable of dialing up when the Raiders beat the Philadelphia Eagles last year.
I didn't even see the elephant scheme he is known for on Sunday.
It's effective when we use it and the Raiders weren't getting there with four on Sunday.
Warren Sapp must be right about the sudden game plan changes on Friday due to Davis' mettling. It seems like he's mettling where he should leaving it alone where he shouldn't these days.
Why did he let Tom Cable field such a bad offensive line?
Cooper Carlisle
6 of 11
When is Tom Cable going to realize that it's over for Cooper Carlisle?
I get that he wants to show loyalty to guys that helped him get hired as head coach in the first place. But if he wants to keep the job, he has to be able to let go at some point.
Carlisle has given up numerous, sacks, pressures, and tackles behindย the line of scrimmage.ย I have no idea why he is still there as Sunday was far from an exception.
Is Bruce Campbell that bad as a guard?
Will he move Loper to right guard whenย Gallery comes back.ย
Samson Satele
7 of 11
It's not a broken record.
The record just keeps playing the same song.
Satele will never be that guy at center for anyone.
He proves me right on every Sunday.
Satele is the softest center in Raider history.
There are guys way better than Satele that don't have jobs right now.
Johnny Lee Higgins
8 of 11
Johnny Lee Higgins had a nice return in week two against the Rams.
He's done nothing before or since to show me why he is still on this team. Nick Miller has shown in the last two preseasons what he can do but doesn't get a chance in the this regular season.
Yamon Figures didn't get it done and the Raiders gave Jacoby Ford a shot. Higgins gave the Raiders one good return this year and they won't even give Miller a look at returning punts.
He may end up doing what Ford is doing as a kick returner.
It's worth finding out at this point.
Louis Murphy
9 of 11
I can't believe this one.
Murphy has been Mr. Clutch since he's been in Raider Nation.
Then he decides to drop one when the Raiders have a chance to beat the Houston Texans on Sunday. Murphy has to hold on to any well thrown balls thatย come to him because there aren't that many.
Making plays when the opportunity is there is the name of the game.
He also needs to help the quarterback.
He didn't do that Sunday.
But he'll be back.
Darrius Heyward-Bey
10 of 11
Darrius Heward has gotten a little better but it's still not good enough to be a number one receiver. Heyward-Bey caught one pass for two yard on the day but that's not the worst of it.
He didn't make a play when he had a chance.
He let one go through his hands late in the game that could have helped the Raiders out a lot. Getting better and having these results isn't good enough for a former first round pick.
That doesn't help the quarterback.
Where's Chaz Shilens?
Bruce Gradkowski
11 of 11
He's just not accurate.
Bruce Gradkowski connected on over 60 percent of his passes for probably the first time in his life. But they were all small ball passes and against the worst secondary in theย NFL.
He ended up with 278 yards but it was the runs after the catch that supplied the yardage.ย 233 of his 278 yards came on passes toย running backs or tight ends.ย
The Texans averaged 333 passย yards given up per game coming in but the Raiders could reach that average.
He did have twoย dropped on him but he was 4-16 for 45 yards when throwing to receivers.ย
He was missing.
His most notable miss was a deep ballย that Heyward-Beyย ran by his manย and could have had a touchdown. Instead, it was an under thrown ball that Heyward-Bey did a good job coming back to save the interception.
One of his two interception wasn't is fault but theย first one should have beenย pickedย by the first Texan to touch it. The throw wasย not good and it has to beย perfect when it,s thrown into quadruple coverage.
He himself admitted to missing too many and making too many mistakes.ย
I hope you enjoyed the slide show.
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